


Healing Touch

by Red Charade (traciller)



Series: Flash Tumblr Ficlets [27]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, No Dialogue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-21
Updated: 2016-03-21
Packaged: 2018-05-28 06:46:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6318835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/traciller/pseuds/Red%20Charade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barry knows the difference in Len’s body language when it comes to touch.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Healing Touch

Barry knows the difference in Len’s body language when it comes to touch. He knows when Len doesn’t want touch because he doesn’t think he deserves it, he knows when Len doesn’t want touch because he can’t deal with it right now, and he knows when Len doesn’t want touch because he thinks he has to be strong in that moment.

Barry knows it’s okay to hug him two of those times. And that he needs to back off physically for one of them. He knows that if he doesn’t back off for that one, it makes things worse for Len and that’s the last thing Barry wants.

Len knows that Barry is a tactile person. He likes to put his hand on Len’s arm, on Len’s shoulder, he likes to hug Len, he likes to brush up against him even during innocent moments in ways that are clearly not sexual at all, and he likes to be close. Barry will reach for you, for Len, for anyone. When he’s talking casually, when he’s speaking seriously, when he’s trying to comfort, when he’s trying to persuade. Touching someone else is as much an effort to comfort himself as it is to comfort someone else when another person is sad or angry or otherwise upset.

Barry is basically the poster boy for proponents of the healing power of touch, and he does it without thinking because that’s just how Barry is.

So, today, when Len is upset and feeling like he needs to be strong and Barry walks in and sees the signs from his body language and the way Len looks when Barry catches his eyes, he doesn’t fight it when his boyfriend gets that soft, sad, understanding look and walks over to him, Len doesn’t flinch away even though Barry is a little quick to move forward like that (not Speedster quick, but just quick for regular people). Barry Allen has the most sincere, “oh no, I see that you’re hurting,” look in the entire galaxy, Len is sure. Probably because it truly is sincere.

When he whispers, “hey…” and puts his arms around Len he’s slower, not hesitant but somehow it adds more emotion and strength to it when Barry finally has his arms around Len, hands against Len’s back and gathering Len close. Not tight, Len could pull away if he wants. But, firm. Strong in a way that let’s Len wait a beat and then hug Barry back, lean into him, almost sag against him, press his face against the space where Barry’s shoulder and neck meet. He takes a slow, deep breath in. Barry smells amazing, like home and comfort, and lets the breath out in a slow sigh.

Not all anniversaries are happy ones. But, on the unhappy anniversaries of Len’s life when he usually doesn’t want to see anyone, he’s glad that Barry’s there with him. To help Len shoulder what he’s feeling, to take some of the weight for himself, to let Len thaw a little bit.

He twists his fingers in his boyfriend’s shirt and holds him a little closing, so glad that Barry Allen exists in the world and that they belong to each other.


End file.
